Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 37270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 186(@200wpm)___ 149(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 186(@200wpm)___ 149(@250wpm)___ 124(@300wpm)
“You’re a born leader, Mark,” he’d said. “Yeah, I fucked up, but I never found the right time to bring it up with Mel. Then, before I knew it, we booked the trip, and here we all are. Just pitch her the same way you did me before I get there, and I know she’ll sign.” I almost crushed the phone in my hand, hearing him talk about her like she was some pawn.
“I’m at the airport now. I’ll have the paperwork with me when I see ya, so…?” he’d said, dangling the carrot of a closed deal. I thought it was something between us, man to man. If I’d known he was using Melissa’s share as leverage, I would’ve flown out there myself to break his nose.
It looks like he’s gonna have to tell her himself now if Melissa’s called him. And right now? I couldn’t care less about the deal we had. I’ve got all I want from it already—all I’ll need in this life from now on. I just don’t want Melissa to think I was wooing her just to get her to sign off on her inheritance so her dad could sink it into my business proposal.
“Hold on, Daddy. I’ll put you on speaker,” Melissa chirps, shooting me a knowing glance.
See? No secrets from her, Mark. So why couldn’t you just tell her?
“I tried calling you after I spoke to Mark earlier. He said he was gonna pick you up from the hotel. What have you been doing all this time?” he asks her, the “dad” tone in his voice more convincing than his pleading with me earlier.
“The hotel…” Melissa echoes back, the sweet light in her face shifting to something darker once it all comes back to her. Her dad’s coming, and as far as she knows, she’ll be going with him when he gets here.
What she doesn’t know is that I’m here now and forever. She’s not going anywhere without me. If her old man’s on his way down under, then I’ve got less than twenty-four hours to claim her and make the only deal worth making.
Making her my wife.
“I mean… yeah!” she says suddenly, playing her part to perfection. “Mark’s just taking me out to show me around today. When are you—?” she starts to ask, but the chime of airport announcements and static over the phone cuts her short.
“Has Mark had a chance to talk to you yet?” her dad asks, making her frown and crease her brow as her eyes meet mine again in the rearview mirror. I force my eyes to the road, but I’m already looking for a spot to pull over. I know I can’t do both if we’re about to have the conversation I sense we’re about to once she’s off the phone.
“Talk about what?” she asks her dad, but I know the question’s meant for me.
There’s more crackle of static and some echo from the phone. Her dad’s aware, too, that it might be more than just his call breaking up.
“Uh… Honey? I gotta go. They’re boarding. Just… just hear Mark out, will ya? Love you…” he trails off, hanging up before Melissa can ask him what he means. Guess I get to explain it all to her for him after all.
Melissa looks more confused than anything. I really wanted to make today special and not get into anything that would upset her. It looks like it’s too late for that part.
“Mark?” is all she asks me as I pull into a safe place to stop, the lookout of all places. The view of Sydney Harbour is framed with gum trees and sunshine, the Opera House, and the bridge. Hell, there’s even a kookaburra cawing outside and a bloody koala up the nearest tree. How ironic.
She was supposed to be enjoying these things today, not getting bogged down in a life she could leave behind forever, starting today.
“I spoke with your dad earlier when you were showering,” I recount, my mouth suddenly dry. I’m actually stuck for words for the first time in my life. Melissa is expert-level silent, and her sudden calm expression is unnerving.
“I was going to bring it up later… once we’d—” I start to say, but she cuts me off, breaking the silence she’s been holding.
“Once we’d what? Once you’d had your way with me? Listen, Mark, if something is going on with my dad, I think I have a right to know. First, him being shady on the phone, and now you too?” she gasps.
There it is. The hurt I never wanted to see in her eyes. Her lower lip quivers, and her eyes get glassy with tears. I reach to pull her close to me, but she shakes her head. “Not until I know what the hell’s going on,” she stammers, crimping her jaw with defiance.